FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 11/2/01

CONTACT:
B.J. Schneck (wschneck@greenville.edu)
Assistant Director of Public Relations
Greenville College
(618) 664-6621

Taking the Plunge: Greenville College Students Conduct Service Projects in St. Louis Metro Area During Fall Semester’s Urban Plunge

GREENVILLE, ILL. – Nearly sixty Greenville College students journeyed to St. Louis last weekend for the first of two Urban Plunge outreach events this year.
Organized by student co-directors Jesse Dart and Matt Snyder, Urban Plunge exposed students to the urban culture to help them grow in character through a real life experience in a service context. The program accomplished the goal while taking into consideration all the safety concerns of the inner city.

“Urban Plunge was an incredible experience that took meout of my comfort zone, widened my worldview perspective, and helped me recognize the many blessings in my life,” stated Angela Hoppe. “The weekend helped me acknowledge and become grateful for things I have taken advantage of in the past.”

The students departed Greenville Friday evening and spent the night at the Lighthouse Free Methodist Church in St. Louis. On Saturday, the students broke up into five groups of nine to twelve students and assisted organizations such as the host church, Haven of Grace Center for Battered Women, St. Louis area food bank, St. Vincent’s Children’s Home, and World Impact.

“Urban Plunge reminded us of the obligation we have to service Christians and the joy that service brings,” said co-director Snyder. “Hopefully we provided encouragement to the organizations and improved their physical facilities also.”

The various groups of students were faced with an array of tasks. The group visiting St. Vincent’s Children’s Home spent their time working in the yard and cleaning. The students that stayed at the church accomplished activities such as moving, sorting, and organizing clothes; cleaning and reorganizing a storage garage for the church; patching holes in the roof of the garage; removing furniture; and cleaning, repairing, and pulling up bad carpet and tiles at the church parsonage.

In addition to the service aspect of the weekend, many students felt drawn closer to each other.

“Urban Plunge is not only a great experience in ministry and service, but it also built community among the college students who attended,” said Rebecca Maxwell.

“I really feel like people were able to get closer,” said Dan Strickland. “Working together like that really made us feel more like a community.”

Bonnie Abel who spent her time at World Impact summed up the sentiments of most students best.

“At the end of the day, I had the feeling that I hadn’t changed the world, but I knew that I’d helped,” Abel said. “On top of everything else, I got to know some really great GC students a lot better. It was an awesome, God-filled, work-oriented experience, and I’m certainly going back next semester!”

Last updated: November 6, 2001